Dried Apples

This was ten pounds of apples a few days ago. I tried one large batch with the skin on and then decided to peel the next batch. The chunks are a little more interesting to nibble on than the rings so this is my new way of drying them.

Riverbend Hot Springs

My home away from home. I like soaking right at sunset when the river is filled with migrating birds.

0-60 Mountain Time

My Tool Shop

Sufi Retreat - somewhere near Isleta Reservation

Wood Collecting

I went out with my good friends to cut wood for the winter. We mainly collected Juniper which is sweet smelling but not the densest wood in the hills. Rick and I worked the chainsaws while Paula and Steve collected and stacked. We got about 1 cord in a trailer and the back of the pick up. Some of the wood is going to some Hispanic families in town who do not have enough energy resources. We'll go out again in a couple of weeks.

Chainsaw Happy

I'm not Texas Chainsaw Massacre but I am pretty handy with a chainsaw.

Raw Foodie Cheesecake

My neighbors had their 2nd Annual Homesteading Conference this weekend and all the adorable youngsters from all over the country convened to show off all their unique talents. This is Asher from Mimbres making a raw fruit cheesecake. He's a real alchemist with the food stuff. All the meals during the long weekend were incredible.

Halloween Clothing Swap

Since it was Halloween, my neighbors Paula and Davey had a lush clothing swap along with a treasure chest full of costumes for everyone to create from. Everyone enjoyed hanging out in their old bank, which is for sale - cheap! (url later) These folks from Boulder gave a presentation on Passive Solar housing which was as technical as it was creative.

Carbonated Prickly Pear Juice

This is Jay and Ryan who are pretty famous in the homesteading blog world (RyanisHungry) pouring some prickly pear juice into a carbonator to make an evening cocktail with. This was actually Andy's beer making class but we got sidelined. He makes a wicked 8% beer that I have had the pleasure of sampling in the past.

Homesteaders Unite!

Tristan and Libby demonstrated making some delicious tempeh and then turned it into a wicked veg dish for dinner the following night. I'm not a hardcore homesteader like all these amazing folks but I think they enjoyed my home pharmacy class and swine flu update. Mikey brought down the house with his battery talk which had everyone on the floor laughing hysterically. Batteries you say? You have not lived until you have seen a BC-900 demoed.

Saving the Last Seeds of the Year

I've saved 8 varieties of tomatoes that did really great in my garden this year. After I scoop them out I put them in a bowl of water and swirl it around to remove some pulp. Then, transferring to sieve, I rub the seeds gently to remove more organic matter. After doing this a couple of times I transfer to a bowl or cookie sheet for them to dry. I pull the seeds up to the side to try and separate them so them don't get stuck together.